How to Get a Toddler to Eat Lunch
Good nutrition is of the utmost importance for toddlers. Their tiny bodies grow at an unbelievable pace. They need healthy meals to support their growth but getting your toddler to eat healthily may seem impossible at times. If you struggle with getting your toddler to eat a healthy lunch every day, make a few simple adjustments to help them eat better.
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Instructions
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Get the toddler involved in the whole process, beginning with grocery shopping. Give her healthy choices while you shop to help her feel better and more empowered. Let her choose between apples and grapes while cruising the fruit aisle. Give a choice between broccoli and spinach when shopping for vegetables. Involve her in the food preparation when appropriate. That way, when you serve her lunch, she is eating the food he chose.
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Offer choices at mealtime. Give your toddler a variety of healthy foods to choose from. This empowers him yet helps you maintain control. Present your toddler with two or three healthy lunch choices and let him choose the meal he likes best. Refrain from getting into power struggles with your toddler about eating.
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Limit distractions. Turn off the television. Put away the toys. Clear the crayons off the dinner table. Toddlers have a limited attention span and are easily distracted. Make his environment as relaxed as possible to help your child focus on eating his lunch.
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Serve small portions. Huge plates of food overwhelm a toddler. Help her feel better about what is on her plate by making the portion sizes more appropriate. A toddler only needs between 900 and 1,700 calories a day. One good rule of thumb to follow is 1 tablespoon of each food per year of life. For example, if your toddler is 2 years old, serve her 2 tablespoons of broccoli, 2 tablespoons of carrots and 2 tablespoons of roast.
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Revisit rejected foods. If your toddler rejects a food, serve it again in a couple of weeks. It takes repeated exposure for your toddler to begin eating it. Be patient. Sometimes it takes serving a food as many as ten times before your toddler feels comfortable.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid giving your toddler too much fruit juice as a snack. Although it counts as a serving of fruit, it also fills them up and prevents them from eating at lunchtime. Limit your toddler to 6 ounces of fruit juice per day.
Don't use food as a reward or punishment. You don't want to create negative feelings around the issue of eating.
